Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-01-11
MICKEY FINN'S AMBITION.

heated by the fiery heat Of the chimney.
Disappointed in its aim to reach the.
chimney top, the vine turned aside and
crept over the shingles to the roof top,
and down the other side, whence it hung
in long festoous, dipping its slender fin
gers in the mill race.
The vine was the only living thing
which had tried to climb the chimney
since its erection, and many funeral cor
tege lad crossed the long shadow Of the
chimney since that time. The chimney
stood where il does now when Mike Finn
came to CoeneyaIsland, and unless an
earthquake topples it over blue smoke
will pour from its mouth by day and red
sparks by night until Mike has gone out
Of sight of the chimney forever.
II had been the desire of Mickey Finn
for long time 10 climb to the top of the
chimney. He had two motives in trying
to accomplish this dangerous feat. The
first WAS the desire to excite the envy and
admiration of his comrades, and the
second that he might stand. if only for
moment on the highest spot on Cooney
Island, and lock over the goodly land
scape. II occurred 10 him that he might
climb up the inside, chimney sweep fash
ion. but when he had worked his way mp
twenty feet one day when the mill was
idle, ne slipped and fell to the bottom,
narrowly escaping Il broken neck. Still
he cherished the project in his heart as he
passed the mill each day on his way to
school.
Mickey had made more progress in
climbing chestnut trees than he had I'm
ascending the tree Of knowledge. The
schoolmastcr was dissatisfied with his
progress. Although gifted with nstur
ally bright mind, It was hard TO make
the boy understand why he should learn
the location of Kamtchatka, and he
seemed indifferent as To whether the prod
uct of Turks Island was salt or maple
sugar. To his discredit it must be told
that he spent a large portion of his time
while at school drawing tall chimneys and
painting the bricks III vivid green and
blue 'ints. These mimic structures
vomited clouds of chrome yellow smoke,
which, contrasting with the bright tints
OF the bricks, produced a most striking
and bizarre effect. However, il Mickey
was u dullard in geography and econom-
ic8l statistics, he was an adept in physics.
He could get the grapvine twist on an op-
ponent in wrestle, and he was very skill
ful at knocking out marbles. Indeed, SO
successful had he been of late that he had
Just concluded bargain with Paddy
Feenan by which, in consideration of sixty
marbles, one dOdo, and two badly chipped
glass sgates, he purchased whatever right
70 title Paddy had in his sister Mary.
This bargain was clinched by Mary when
the transfer OF the marbles was made, by
the vow that she would be faithful TO
Mickey forever r-'n-ever-amen."
The schoolmaster saw that the best way
of interesting Mickey was by a series Of
object lessons which should have a local
bearing, and SO, when he called up the
geography class. he asked him 10 bound
CoOney Island
bounded on tn sOut' by Murray
street." said Mickey glibly, bounded on
tn west by Brown pond, bounded on tn
mort by tn ould Point road, bounded on
tn 'ast by-hy--tesI' bounded at all on
tn asst: il runs out to q pint"
What do they grow on COoney Islsndr'
Mostly cabbidges and potatys and a
few inGyuns. not many"
What animals do they raise on tn
islandy''
Well. there's cats. Mrs NcGee has
four, three little weeny vans that she's
goin' { put in bag~nixt week wild
stone an have EN- in TIL pond Mrs.
Feeny's big black Tom cat at wild nv dog
Jack, and licked him. but she can't lick
me Billy goat. cause If he waRst got hold
in her he'd shake III hair all off her back
Mebbe thare's fifty cats on tn island,
c9untin tn kittens. I'm goin' & have
a good many o thin in my show as soon
rs I t'ach tn billy { stand on his head
It'll be only five Cints { come in, an -
Never mind your show, sir. What
other animals are on the islsnd!''
.'Meules Most iy thin, tho is gone
up tn canal 'ceptin' Paddy Feensn's
blind meule. Hes no good, anyhow, but
fur chewin' hay an kickin the boards OF
tn bnarn. Mebbe kin git him in my
show
IF you say anything more about that
show O. yours I'll warm your jacket. Go
on wild yer story about tn animals"
"Thare's hosses, an Jimmy Cooney's
mare as has RI h'aves. She blows fur
her wind like raky bellers. She's no
good. Ye needn't count her. Mushrsts
and mud turkles is plenty; but We can't
catch many; they're shy. Ye wouldn't
care fur thin yeserl', hut they'll all come
handy fur me whin | start my
The schoOlmaster stepped toward his
scholar with set lips and ruler In his
hand. Mickey, however, anticipated him,
and jumping over two benches he reached
the door and escaped As he went down
the road a peddler's horse passed by him
on a run. 4 big watermelon rolled out of
the wagon and burst open on the ground.
Mickey picked up large piece of the
melon, and climbing mp on the roof OF the
mill seated himself in the shadow of the
big chimney and began to eat il. He was
soon joined by his friend Doolan. While
seated at the foot of the chimney the old
longing TO climb il came over the boy.
As he looked at the great brick shaft he
saw on the west side Of it series Of
spikes driven into the masonry at inter-
walls of three feet, extending from the top
10 within fifteen feet Of the bottom.
'I'n doit. " suddenly exclaimed Mickey.
DO what" asked Doolsn.
Climb tn chimbly."
"IOu Couldn' get NJ. A fly couldn't"
''D'ye see, there's spikes Well git n
long bonr" an lane j: up agin tn chimbly |
- can r'ach tn first spike. It's 'asy
Siitin' up tn rest o ~ ways"
DcOlan saw, or thought he saw, how |
sasy it would be to reach the top. and he |
suddenly conceived the idea that he |
would like to do the climbing Mickey, !
however, did not wish to give up his |
cherished design, but he at last consented. !
with provision that he was TO go up when !
Doolan came down.
Mind We now. Doolan, always look up |
II We look down ven lose yer holt" was |
Mickey's parting injunction. as he held |
the lower end of the board, mp which |
DOolan Skinned TO the first spike. Then ,
Mickey resumed his watermelon.
When Doolau found himself hanging
between earth and heaven his courage
began 10 ooze. Besides, it was very hard
work lifting himself up that brick pile by
means of slender spikes. When within
fifteen feet of the top he shouted
can't git mp any furder. The next
spike is loose
Mickey stopped cutting ont the red
heart Of the watermelon and looked up.
"Ah. ah"' shouted he, sne, ringly,